Chain-link-forming device



J. JOHNSON.

CHAIN LINK FORMING DEVICE.

ARPLICATION FILED APR. 13. 1920.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922. 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Wiinesses. 7 5 h John/8011,.

J. JOHNS CHAIN LINK FORM! EVICE.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA PR. I3. 1920. 1,405,785. Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

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' 8 x 1 WW5 es I UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

aosnrn: .roimsornor LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CH IN-L INK-FORMING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 13, 1920. Serial No. 373,519.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OSEPH J oHNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lebanon, in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chain-Link-F'orming Devices, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to facilitate 7 part of my invention and illustrating in dotthe line 55 of Figure 1 showing the link in and-dash'lines a top die section for use in conjunction with said base die section,

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the under part of said top die,

Figure 3 is a sectionalielevation taken on the line 3 3 of Figural showing the first step in the operation of forming a chain link with the device of my invention in which the top die section is in a position over the bottom die section ready to descend to form the link into the shape shown in Fig ure 4 v Figure 4 is'a view of similar character to Figure 3'showing the two die sections moved together to complete the shaping'of a link Figiire 5 is a sectional elevation taken on.

position to secure a transverse stud thereon; the top'die section beingin a I'itlSQCl'POSlt-lQIl ready to descend to secure the stud to the link, and

V V Figure 6 1s a view of similar character to Figure 5 showing the top die section having descended to" secure the stud in position.

v Referring to thedrawings, 7 represents a base die sectionmade; in accordance with "my invention'and preferably arranged in afixect position. A top die section 8 is preferably mounted on any means having a reciprocating movement toward and from the base die section 7. The base die section'hasa cavity 9 extending inwardly from its front face 10;

the accompanying drawings in said cavity extending downwardly from its top surface 11. A projection 12 extends upwardly from the surface 11 in alignment with the cavity 9 in the direction of the depth from front to rear of the base die sect1on. This projection 12 includes a portion 13 of a shape substantially similar to the shape of a shoe heel and this portion 13 will be'hereinafter designated as the heel portion. The heel portion 13 hasits bottom extending into the cavity 9below the level of. the sur face 11; said heel portion also being of less width than the width of the cavity 9 atvits top to permit the insertion of a substantially U-shaped link-forming member 14 as shown in Figure 3. The side surfaces. 15 which form the sides of the cavity 9 immediately below the top surface 11 are curved inwardly Y and are intercepted by an inclined surface 16 and another surface 17 which partly form a recess 18 in the bottom'of the base die section 7 as clearly shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4.

The surfaces 15, at positions loca-tedinwardly from the face 1O, are curved toward each other so as to form a seat for the bot' 2O serve to provide a groove 20 and to con-, fine the member 14 in position uponits seat while within the cavity 9.

The recess 18 provides a spacefor the previously formed links 21 as shown in Figure 3; it being noted that. the U-shape link I forming member 14, prior to being placed in position upon its seat in the base die section, is first cha-mfered as shown at 22 by placing the leg'portions 23 in the depression 24 in the base die section 7 and then bringing't'he top die section 8 down upon the leg portions 23.

The top die section '8 has a grove 25 formed in its undersurface 26; said groove being of" a curvature in cross se ctionas shown in Figures 2 and '4 corresponding to the curvature intended for'the upper end of the finished link as shown in' Fi opening 27 is'formed in the frontf'ace '28 of thetop dissection 8; said Opening being narrower than but following the same'shape as the groove 25; thus producingafiange re 4. An

29 between the groove and the face'28. The

part of the top die section 8 immediately to the rear of the groove 25 is dished or cut away as shown at 30 to provide clearance for any particles such as scales which are dropped or scraped from the link portions as they are being operated upon.

Upon the: downward'movement of the top die section the upper ends of the leg portions '23 of the link-forming member .1 1 will be bent toward each other and compelled to take the curvature of the groove 25. These leg portions of'the U-shape member 14 will be bent around the upper part of the heel portion 1.3 in a manner shown in Figure l. After this action occurs and upon I the ascent of the top die section 8, the member 14: thus formed, as shown in Figure 4, can be taken from the base die section and heated at its overlapped end portion and then placed in a curved groove 31 in the top of the base die section. The top die section is again brought down and has registering groove 32 and thus the overlapped chamfered ends can be welded to gether. i 7

If a stud is to be secured within the link, the linkois then placed with one side in a groove 33 formed in the rear of the base die section; said base die section having inclined portions 3 1 as clearly shown in Figure 1. The stud 35 when heated is inserted upper side of the link and in this mannerthe stud, due to the slight compression of the sides of the link, is secured in position. The inclined portions 34 permit space for the previously formed links, such for ex-.

ample as shown in Figures 4 and5.

It will be noted that the heel portion 13 in addition to being curved'in cross section in the plane illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, is also tapered outwardly and the extreme forward part 37 of'the heel portion will fit within the opening 27 during the forming of the link as above described.

By having the heel portion 13 tapering outward a number of advantages can be attained. In the first place, by such construction the looped parts'of the links can be readily put over the flanges 20 and then permitted to seat themselves within the groove 20 and when so seated accidental outward displacement of the links is prevented. In the second place, the tapering of the proj ection permits the projection to center itself within the loop link so that it is not necessary to exercise great care in applying the link to the apparatus. In the third place, the tapering of the projection causes it to act as a wedge if the link is slightly under size and thus cause the expansion of the side portions of the link. link is "also facilitated due to the tapering The removal of theof this portion since a slight tap on the but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. A link-forming device including a base die section having a cavity and a flange spaced forward of the interior of the cavity to form an undercut groove, and a projection extendinginto said cavity; and'a top die section including a curved groove whereby, when a U-shape link-forming member is seated in the groove. of said cavity with its leg portions projecting upwardly therefrom and embracing said projection, said groove portion of said top die section will serve to' bend said leg portions inoverlapped positions around said projection upon movement of said top die section toward the base 95 2. A link-forming device including abase' die section; substantiallyas described.

die section having a cavity and a projection extending into said cavity; and a top die section including a curved groove whereby when a U-shape link-forming member is seated in said cavity with its leg portions projecting upwardly therefromand embracing said projection, said groove portion of sa1d top die'section will serve to bend said leg portions in overlapped positions around said projection upon movement of said top die section toward the base die section, said base die section having a recessextending upwardly and communicating with the bottom of said cavity, saidv recess forming a space for a previously formedlink joined to said U-shape member; substantially as. described. i

3; A link-forming device including a base die section having a cavity and a projection extending into said cavity; and a' top die section including a curved groove whereby, when a U-shape link-forming member is seated in said cavity with its, leg portions projecting upwardly therefrom and embracing said projection, said groove portion of said top die section will serve to bend said leg portions in overlapped positions around said projection upon movement of said top-- space for'a previously formed link joined to i said U-shape member, said base die section.

having abutment flanges between the innermost portion of said cavity and the outer surface of said base die section; substantially as described. I

4. A link-forming device including a base die section having a cavity including a groove and a projection extending into said cavity; and a top die section including a curved groove whereby when a U-shape link-forming member is seated in the groove of said cavity with its leg portions projecting upwardly therefrom and embracing said projection, said groove portion of said top die section will serve to bend said leg portions in overlapped positions around said projection upon movement of said top die section toward the base die section, said projection tapering outwardly in the form of a heel; substantially as described.

5. A link-forming deviceincluding a base die section having a cavity including a groove and a projection extending into said cavity; and a top die section including a curved groove whereby when a U-shape linkforming member is seated in the groove of said cavity with its leg portions projecting upwardly therefrom and embracing said projection, said groove portion of said top die section will serve to bend said leg portions in overlapped positions around said projection upon movement of said top die section toward the base die section, said projection tapering outwardly in the form of a heel, and being partway surrounded by said first groove; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH JOHNSON.

\Vitnesses:

FRANoIs ELLIOTT, WILLIAM BLACK. 

